Holder for sewing machine needles



March 23, 1937. P. 1 SCQMA v 2,074,942

.HOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES Filed oci. :50, 1955 Patented Mar.23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention is directed to improvements in holders for needlesor awls used in connection with leather sewing machines of thecontinuous stitching type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a holder for a needleof this type having upon each of its ends a thread engaging hook inorder that when one end of the needle breaks the re. maining part can beeasily and quickly reversed in the holder so that the sewing operationmay be continued with a minimum loss of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder to effectivelysecure an awl also formed with penetrating points on each of its ends inorder that the aWl can likewise be reversed in the holder upon breakageof one part thereof.

With these and other objects in view, this invention resides in thenovel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangementof parts to be hereinafter more fully described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view showing the needle and awl on their respectiveoperating means.

Figure 2 is a side elevation. Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3of Fig. 1. Figure 4 is cross sectional view of the needle. Figure 5 is aplan view of the needle. Figure 6 is a similar view of the awl.

Referring to the drawing, l designates the needle of the curved type,but in this instance the body thereof is somewhat longer than the usualcurved needle, and each end of the body is equipped with a threadengaging hook 2.

The body of the needle is formed intermediate its ends withdiametrically disposed lateral ribs 3 which serve to positively preventturning of the needle in the holder.

The needle is operated through the medium of the rack segment 5 drivenby a pinion 6, as is customary.

The needle holder 1 is carried by the segment 5 and consists of clampingjaws 8 and 9, the opposed faces of which are formed with angular seatsl0 and II. The seats provide a rectangular shaped aperture for rmlygripping the needle during the sewing operation.

It frequently occurs that when a new needle is placed in the holder thatthe same is not positioned in a true perpendicular position with theresult that the penetrating end is disposed slightly offset with respectto the work or leather. When the needle is not properly held in theholder 5 it is subjected to a lateral strain when penetrating the workwith the result that the body snaps off, and to overcome this defect theribs 3 have been provided. These ribs engage in the bases of the seatsl0 and l l, as shown in Fig. 3, and 10 when the jaws are in theirclamped position turning of the needle in the holder is positivelyprevented. i Y

It is well known that needles for continuous stitching become heatedespecially when stitching 1;, long pieces of leather such as used inharness manufacture, and this heat has a tendency to heat the needle tosuch an extent that it will break frequently. This of course requires anew needle, and in order to save expense I have provided the needle witha thread engaging hook on each end.

Obviously should one end of the needle break the broken section can bediscarded and the remaining portion reversed in the holder for the 25sewing operation, thereby not only saving expense, but time as well.

I'he awl I4 is provided at each end with a penetrating point and isclamped in the holder I5 mounted on the segment I3, said segment being30 driven by the pinion I4. The awl co-operates with its holder and isprevented from turning therein in the same manner as the needle.

The material to be stitched is guided along the platform I6 in the usualmanner.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a holder comprising a pair of opposing clamping members,each member having an angular seat in a face thereof. the seats in theopposing members jointly providing a sub- 40 stantially rectangularopening, and a needle removably secured by said members, the needlebeing circular in cross-section, and having diametrically disposed ribsat the point of 'securement thereof, the walls of said seats beingtangent 45 to the surface of the needle and the ribs.

PETER JOSEPH SCOMA.

